Bone-conduction hearing-aid vibrator



March 28, 193559.

BONE (3 ONDUC T I ON EAR 1" 95 Original Filed July 1955 March 28, 1939. H. LIEBER 2,151,706

BONE-CONDUCTION HEARING-AID VIBRATOR Original Filed July 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gttomeg Patented Mar. 28,1939

I ,1 g I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC y W "2,151,706 g y Patents Corporation, .New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 18, 1933, Serial No. 681,003 Renewed December 29, 1937 13 Claims. (01.1'19-10'1) This invention relates to wearable bone conamplifier microphone 25 which is connected in duction hearing aids and it'has among its obseries with the battery 23 to the leads 25 which iects a bone conduction hearing aid utilizing a supply the current to the actuating windings 2i strip of flexible self-aligning material held of the receiver, all constructed for inconspicuous 8 stretched along the bony lower rear portion of wear by the user. -Under the action of the supthe head of the'user'for pressing the vibration plied. electric sound frequency oscillations, the imparting contact surface of a bone conduction floating part of the vibratory structure 2? im receiver against the bones of the head and inparts through its inertia reaction hearing inducing hearing by. bone conduction under elimiducing vibratory forces to the casing 20, and by nation of the discomfort caused by stiff head way of its contact wall 28 to the hearing inducing bands clamped around the head for pressing the bones 29 of the user for inducing hearing by bone receiver against the bones of the head. conduction. v

The foregoing and other objects of the inven-- As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the vibratory surface tion will be best understood from the following of the receiver casing is held coupled to the description of exemplifications thereof, referencev mastoid bone 29 of the user, behind the ear, by 5 being had to the accompanying drawings, wheresupporting arrangements comprising a pair of in- V ear clasps 3|, 32 and a strip 33 of self-aligning 1 Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a bone conflexible material, such as rubber fabric, which duction receiver worn on the head of a person "are interconnected with the receiver 20 so as 20 in accordance with the invention, and a die.- to hold a contact surface 28 of the-receiver 20-20 gram of the operating circuit of the receiver; against the mastoid bone.

Fig. .2 is a view of the receiver with its sup- As shown in Fig. 1, the flexible self-aligning porting elements; supporting ,strip 33 extends over the occipital Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the bone of the head below the greater occipital proreceiver along lines 3-3 of Fig. 5; tuberance and the clasps 3|, 32 which hold'the 25 Fig. 4 is a top view of the receiver; strip 33 in the stretched condition engage por Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the retionsof the head at the junction of the auricle ceiver; to the headin the region of the temporal bones. Fig. 6 is a detailed enlarged view of an ear Such arrangement of the stretched strip and its clasp of the receiver support; stretching means which hold it in stretched con- 30 Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modified dition make it possible to retain the stretched receiver support; strip 33 in a self-aligning position on the lower Fig. 8 is a top view of the support shown region of the back of the head in which it is able in Fig. 7; I to exert on the bone conduction receiver the Fig. 9 is a view of the receiver with its support pressure required for transmitting to the bones 35 illustrating a furthermodi-flcation of the invenhearing inducing vibrations without discomfort tion; to the user.

Fig. 10 is a top-view of the support shown in The ear clasp 3l' is made in the form of an Fig. 9; I e oval wirelike member shaped to fit the groove 11 is a perspective view illustrating a modialong the rear side of the junction of the auricle li v r pp f the inv n; to the head. The clasp 3| is retained in its place i2 is atop view of one oi the arrangeon the car by front portions 31 overlapping the merits shown in Fig. 11; junction portions of the auricle to the head so as i3 is a view similar to Fig. 12 showing a to firmly and yet gently support the clasp 3| further modification of the invention; and on the ear and prevent its being pulled off the 5 Fig. ii is a view similar to Fig. '7 illustrating car by rearwardly directed forces acting on the still further modification of the invention. intermediate portion of the clasp 3|. The cen- Referring to the exemplification of the inventer portion of the clasp 3| has a pin shaped tion shown in Figs. 1 to 6, it comprises a bone projection 35 fitting into'alongitudinal channel conduction receiver, or" the type disclosed in member 36 provided along one edge of the vi- 5o Greibach Patent 2,127,468, in the form of a small bratory receiver casing 20 for holding the revibra ory in 81 vin uating windings 2| ceiver. The other side of the receiver casing 20 which are connected to a supply circuit formed has an eyelet II to which is tied one end of the oi? a transmitter 22 connected in series with a self-aligning supporting strip 33 the other end supply battery 23 to the actuating coil 24 of an of which is held in an-eyelet 40 formed on the u center portion of similar other car clasp 82 which engages the other ear.

Thesupporting strip 33 may be of rubber or similar resilient material, covered with a woven fabric,-such as silk, and is arranged to lie snugly in stretched conditionfagainst the head, hidden under the hair, as shown in Fig. 1. The length of the supporting strip 33 is so proportioned that when it is held stretched by the ear clasps II, II, the contact surface 28 of the receiver casing II will be held against the bones 29 with the pressure required for securing emcient transmission of the hearing inducing vibrations from thecontact wall ll of the receiver casing 20 to the bone structure. I

The end portions of the ear clasps ii, 32 may be made of a resilient metal wire as shown in Fig.

6 and comprise several layers ll, 44, ll of wire strands closely wound over the wire of the clasp, in a way similar to temple wires of spectacle frames, so as to secure agood gripping connection between the clasp ends and] the engaged auricle portions and permit easy adjustment of the clasp to the shape of the auricle. The clasps ll, 82 may be made ofany suitable metal and the ends overlapping the auricle and .resting against it may be provided with a resilient layer 01. of rubber or like materialto distribute the pressure over the contact surface. The resilient engagement of the clasp pin 35 with the receiver channel 88 is so arranged as to assure alignment of the receiver relatively to the surface of the bones and good coupling engagement therebetween.

By utilizing a strip of flexible self-aligning fabric material which is held stretched over the rear of the head, below its greater occipital protuberance, by clasp means which engage the portions of the head in the region of the temporal bones so as to exert on the receiver casing forces which hold it in intimate vibration transmitting contact engagement with the bones of the head,

the receiver support will be automatically retained in' a self-aligning vibration transmitting position and assure efllcient transmissionof the hearing inducing vibrations to the bones of the head.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a modified hone receiver supporting arrangement. It comprises a relatively rigid, slightLv flexible, U-shaped supporting frame member ll having inward protuberances I! engaging suitable depressions in the side walls of the receiver casing. time o! the arms of the frame Ii is provided with a longisupport the receiver frame it in a position in which it presses the contact surface" of the receiver casing against the hearing inducing bones. The clasp II is resiliently mounted within the channel member ll of the receiver frame ll so as to be free to turn and provide a self-adjustable 1 support for the receiver casing'. The pivotal mounting of the receiver casing on the pivot pins '2 of the receiver frame ll assures automatic alignment of the contact surface of the. receiver ll against the bones.

As shown in Fig. 8, the vibratory receiver casing 20 is provided with a channel 56 for receiving theend of a head band so as to enable the user to wear the receiver either with the stretchable strip support arrangement shown in the drawings or by means of a steel head band clamped Over the head. The frame has sumcient resiliency to permit spreading apart of its arms and removal of the receiver Ill from its supporting pin '2.

In Figs. 9 and 10 is shown a bone receiver supporting arrangement similar to that of Figs. '1 and 8, but using a diflerent form of U-shaped receiver supporting frame 58 arranged to embrace one of the narrow end walls of the receiver.

In Figs, 11 and 121s shown another form of bone receiver support by a flexible self-aligning fabric strip 33. The receiver is pivotally mounted on a frame II as inthe arrangement of Fig. 7. The channel-shaped eyelet 53 of the frame is engaged by an end portion of a modified form of clasp 6i formed of metal or similar material and arranged to embrace only the upper junction of the auricle to the head. The clasp 8| comprises a front arm I! and a rear arm 82 embracing the" -upper portion of the auricle edge adjacent its Junction to the head, the front end 84 of the clasp being bent to fit into the cavity behind the upper helix portion 85 of the auricle. The rear part of the clasp ll extends along the rear portion of the auricle and terminates in a pivotal pin portion held in the channel member 53 provided on one arm of the receiver supporting a frame II. The two ends of the stretched supporting strip I3 extending along the back of the head are joined to the eyelet I4 of the receiver supporting frame, and to an eyelet 81 provided on the rear end of a clasp is shaped similarly to the clasp i, and engaging the auricle of the other ear, so as to secure self-aligning support of the receiver in contact with the bones of head. 1 l 1 In Fig. 18 is shown a modified form of ear clasp ll of the type shown in the arrangement in Figs. 10 and 11. The clasp II is made of a relatively rigid, slightly yieldable strip of metal or similar material and has a front arm ll embracing the helix 12 of the upper auricle junction to the head and an enlarged rear arm portion 13 having a threaded hole in which is threadedly mounted a fastener screw H provided with a contact member" for clamping the clasp to the ear.

In the modified form of the bone receiver support shown in Fig. 14, two ear cl'asps 68, similar to the ear clasps of the arrangement shown in Figs. 11 and 12, hold stretched two strip portions 11 of flexible self-aligning fabric material across the rear of'the' head below the occipital protuberances for coupling to the bones a bone receiver 20 held between the two strip portions 17, for instance, by a clamp support SI, of the type shown in connection with Figs. 7 and 8.

The. exemplifications of the invention described above will suggest to those skilled in the art many other ways for holding the contact surface of a bone conduction receiver in vibration transmitting coupling engagement with the hearing inducing bones of the user, by means of a strip of self-aligning flexible material held stretched.

along the rear side of the bony skull and head below the greater occipital protuberance for inducing hearing by bone conduction without the discomfort accompanying the use of a head band clamped over the head of the person for supporting a bone conduction receiver. It is accordingly desired that the appended claims be the bone conduction receiver of small size and weight having a vibratory contact surface for engaging hearing inducing bonestructure on the head of a person and converting received electric soundfrequency oscillations into corresponding hear-- ing-inducing mechanical vibrations imparted to said bone structure, means for supporting said receiver on the head of a person with the contact surface pressed against the bone structure of the head comprising clamp means extending over each ear of the person embracing the auricle of the ear from the rear side thereof-andoverlapping with forwardly extending portions the upper junction portions of the auricles to the head for preventing said clasp means from being pulled ofi the head by rearward pull, and a strip-like connector of flexible self-aligning material connected between the rear sides of said clasp means to lie stretched against the back portion of the head below its greater occipital protuberance and press against it, said receiver being held by said connector and pressed with its vibratory contact surface against a portion of the bone structure of the head by the stretching force in said connector. 2. In a bone-conduction hearing-aid device, a bone conduction receiver of small size and weight having a vibratory contact surface for engaging hearing-inducing bone structure on the head of a person and converting received electric soundireuuency oscillations into corresponding hearlug-inducing mechanical vibrations imparted to said bone structure, means for supporting said receiver on the head of a person with the contact surface pressed against the bone structure of the head comprising clasp means for each earof the person embracing the auricle of the ear from the rear side thereof and overlapping with forwardly 5 extending portions the upper junction of the auricles to the head for preventing said clasp means from being pulled off by rearwardly directed forces, and a strip-like connector of flexible self-aligning material connected between the rear sides of the two ciasps to lie stretched against the back'portion-of the head and press against it, said receiver unit being held by said connector and pressed with its vibration transmitting contact suriace against a portion of the bone structure of the head by the stretching force in said connection. a

in bone conduction hearing-aid device, a bone conduction receiver oi small size and weight in ring a vibratory contact surface for engaging g-inducing bone structure on the headof a son converting receivedelectric sound-' c ucy osciiiations into corresponding hearchanical vibrations imparted to son embracing the auricle ofthe ear from 13 extending ends the upper junction of the cuticle to the head and prevented thereby from being pulled oi? the ear by rearwardly directed forces acting on the clasp, said receiver having one thereof attached to the rear portion of one of said clasps in a position at which the bone structure, means for supporting said "ear side thereof and overlapping with forvibratory contact surface of said receiver engages the outer surface of the sound conducting bone structure of the head lying opposite the convex rear side of the auricle, and a strip-like connectorof flexible self-aligning material having one end connected to the side of vibrator unit lying opposite the side attached to'said clasp, the opposite end of said connector being connected to the rear sideof the other clasp-to lie in stretched condition against the back portion of the head and to hold in conjunction with the clasp attached to the receiver unit the contact surface thereof under pressm'e against the. ail-'- aged bone structure.

4. In a bone-conduction heaflng-aiddevice, a bone conduction receiver of small size andweight' having a vibratory contactsurfacefor engaging hearing-inducing bone structure on the head of a person and converting'received electric soundfrequencyoscillations into corresponding hear-'- lng-inducing mechanical vibrations imparted to said bone structure, means for supporting said unit on the head of a person. with the contact surfacepressed agalnst'the bone structure of the head comprising clasp means for each ear of the person embracing the auricle of the ear from the rear side thereof and overlapping with for-- wardly extending slightly-yielding elastic ends the upper and lower junction portions of the auricle to the head and prevented thereby from being pulled off the ear byrearwardly directed forces acting on the clasp, said receiver-unit having one side thereof attached to' the rear port-r tion of one of said clasps'in a position at which the vibratory contact surface of said unit engages the outer surface of the mastoid bone structure of the head lying opposite the convex rear side of the auricle, and a self-aligning flexible strip having one end connected to the side of said receiver unitlying opposite the side attached to said clasp, the opposite end of said strip being connected to the rear side of the other clasp to.

lie in stretched condition against the back por tion of the. head and to hold in conjunction with the clasp attached to the receiver the contact surface thereof under pressure against the en-,-

, gaged bone structure.

contact surface on the exterior wall of said cas-f 'ing for transmitting said vibrations to hearinginducing bone structure of a person engaged under pressure through said contact surface and inducing sound in the auditory center of the per-' son, means for supporting said casing on the head ofa person with the contact surface pressed against the bone structure of the head comprisingclasp means for each ear of the person for embracing the auricle of the ear from the rear side thereof and overlapping with forwardly extending portions the upper junction of the amide to the head andv prevented thereby from being pulled oi! the ear by rearwardly directed forces acting on the. clasp, and a self-aligning flexible connector strip connected between the rear sides of vibration transmitting contact surface against a the clasp means to lie stretched against the back portion of the head below its greater occipitalportion of the bone structure of the head by the stretching force in said connector strip.

6. In a bone-conduction hearing-aid device, a bone conduction receiver comprising a casing enclosing a vibrator mechanism for converting received electric sound-frequency oscillations into corresponding hearing-inducing mechanical vibrations imparted to an element constituting a contact surface on the exterior wall of said casing for transmitting said vibrations to hearinginducing bone structure of a person engaged under pressure through said contact surface and inducing sound in the auditory center of the person, means for supporting said casing on the head of a person with the contact surface pressed against the bone structure of the head comprising a clasp for each ear of the person for embracing the auricle of the car from the rear side thereof and overlapping with forwardly extending slightly-yielding elastic ends the upper and lower junction portions of the auricle to the head and prevented thereby from being pulled oil! the car by rearwardly directed forces acting on the clasp, said receiver casing having one side thereof attached to the rear portion of one of said clasps in a position-at which thevibratory contact surface of said casing engages the outer surface of the mastoid bone structure of the head lying opposite the convex rear side of the auricle, and a flexible self-aligning strip having one end connected to the side of the casing lying opposite the side attached to said clasp, the opposite end of said cord being connected to the rear side of the other clasp to lie in stretched condition against the back portion of the head and to hold in conjunction with the clasp attached to the casing the contact surface thereof under pressure against the engaged bone structure.

'7. In a bone-conduction hearing-aid device, a bone conduction receiver of small size and weight having a vibratory contact surface for engaging hearing-inducing bone structure on the head of a person and converting received electric soundfrequency oscillations into corresponding hearinginducing mechanical vibrations transmitted through said contact surface to said bone struc' ture to induce hearing in'the auditory center of the person, means for supporting said receiver on the head of a person with the contact surface pressed against the bone structure of the head comprising a clasp for each ear of the person having two integrally connected substantially C- shaped members, one member being positioned to engage over one portion of the ear of the user and the other member being positioned to engage another portion of the ear to increase the pressure of said first member and grip said ear portion between said members to prevent pulling off the clasp from the ear by rearwardly directed stretching forces acting on the clasp, and a striplike connector of flexible self-aligning material stretching force in said connection.

8. In a bone-conduction hearing-aid device, a bone conduction receiver of small size and weight having a vibratory contact surface for engaging hearing-inducing bone structure on the head of a person and converting received electric soundfrequency oscillations into corresponding hearing inducing mechanical vibrations transmitted through said contact surface to said bone structure to induce hearing in the auditory center of the person, means for supporting said receiver on the head of a person with the contact surface pressed against the bone structure of the head comprising a clasp for each ear of the person for embracing the upper edge portion of the auricle of the ear adjacent its junction to the head, said clasp having a front arm overlapping and engaging the front side of the auricle edge at its upper junction with the head, and an adjoining rear arm extending behind the ear to prevent pulling oil! the clasp from the ear by rearwardlydirected stretching forces acting on the clasp, and a striplike connector of flexible self-aligning substance connected between the rear arms of the two clasps to lie stretched against the back portion of the head and press against it, saidreceiver being held by said connector and pressed with its vibration transmitting contact surface against a portion of the bone structure of the head by the stretching force insaid connection.

9. In a bone-conduction hearing-aid device, a bone conduction receiver of small size and weight having a vibratory contact surface for engaging hearing-inducing bone structure on the head of a person and converting received electric soundfrequency oscillations into corresponding hearinginducing mechanical vibrations transmitted through said contact surface to said bone structure to induce'hearing in the auditory center of the person, means for supporting said receiver on the head of a person with the contact surface pressed against the bone structure of the head comprising a clasp for each ear of the person for embracing the upper edge portion of the auricle of the ear adjacent its Junction to the head, said clasp having a front arm overlapping and engaging the front side of the auricle edge at its upper Junction with the head, and an adjoining rear arm overlapping the adjacent rear side of the embraced auricle edge to prevent pulling off the clasp from the car by rearwardly directed stretching forces acting on the clasp, said receiver having one side thereof attached to the rear arm of one of said clasps in a position at which the vibratory contact surface of said unit engages the outer surface of the sound conducting bone structure of the head lying opposite the convex rear side of the auricle, and a strip-like connector of flexible self-aligning substance having one end connected to the side of said receiver lying opposite the side attached to said clasp, the opposite end of said connector being connected to the rear side of the other clasp to'lie in stretched condition against the back portion of the head and to hold in conjunction with the clasp attached to said receiver the contact surface thereof under pressure against the engaged bone structure.

10. In a bone-conduction hearing-aid vibrator, a bone conductor receiver comprising a casing enclosing a vibrator mechanism for converting received electric sound-frequency oscillations into corresponding mechanical vibrations imparted to an element constituting a substantially fiat contact surface on the exterior wall of said casing for transmitting said vibrations to sound conducting bone structure of a person engaged under pressure by said contact surface and inducing sound in the auditory center of the person, holder means for supporting said casing on the head of a person with the contact surface pressed against the bone structure of the head comprising a clasp for each ear of the person embracing the auricle of the ear stance having one end connected to the side of the casing lying opposite the side attached to said clasp, the opposite end of said connector being connected to the rear side of the other clasp to lie in stretched condition against the back portion of the head and to hold in conjunction with the clasp attached to the casing the contact surface thereof under pressure against the engaged bone structure.

11. In a bone-conduction hearing-aid device, a bone conduction receiver of small size and weight having a vibratory contact surface for engaging hearing-inducing bone structure on the head of a person and converting received electric soundfrequency oscillations into corresponding hearing-inducing mechanical vibrations transmitted through said contact surface to said bone structure to induce hearing in the auditory center of the person, means for supporting said receiver on the head of a person with the contact surface pressed against the bone structure of the head comprising a clasp for each ear of the person for embracing the upper edge portion of the auricle of the ear adjacent its junction to the head, said clasp having a front arm overlapping and engaging the front side of the auricle edge, and an adjoining rear arm overlapping the adjacent rear side of the embraced auricle edge to prevent pulling off the clasp from the ear by rearwardly directed stretching forces acting on the clasp, and a strip-like connector of flexible self -aligning substance connected between the rear arms of the two clasps to lie stretched against the back portion of the head and press against it, said receiver being held by said connector and pressed with its vibration transmitting contact surface against a portion of the bone structure of the head lying about midway the distance between the cars by the stretching force in said connection.

12. In a bone-conduction hearing-aid device, a bone conduction receiver of small size and weight having a vibratory contact surface for engaging hearing-inducing bone structure on the head of a person and converting received electric soundfrequency oscillations into corresponding hearing-inducing mechanical vibrations transmitted through said contact surface to said bone structure to induce hearing in the auditory enter of the person, means for supporting said receiver on the head of a person with the contact surface pressed against the bone structure of the head comprising a frame having a pair of arms engaging the opposite sides of said receiver for holding the contact surface of said receiver in engagement with the bone structure of the person, supporting brackets on said arms, a clasp for each ear of the person for embracing an edge portion of the auricle of the ear adjacent its junction to the head, said clasp having a front arm overlapping and engaging the front side of the auricle edge, and an adjoining rear arm overlapping the adjacent rear side of the embraced auricle edge to prevent pulling off the clasp from the ear by rearwardly directed stretching forces acting on the clasp, and a strip-like connector of flexible self-aligning substance connected between the rear arms of the two clasps to lie stretched against the back portion of the head and press against it, said supporting brackets being held by said connector to apply stretching forces to said frame for pressing the vibration transmitting surface of said receiver against the bone structure.

13. In a bone-conduction hearing-aid device, a bone conduction receiver comprising a casing enclosing a vibrator mechanism for converting received electric sound-frequency oscillations into corresponding hearing-inducing mechanical vibrations imparted to an element constituting a substantially flat contact surface on the exterior wall of said casing for transmitting said vibrations to hearing-inducing bone structure of a person engaged under pressure through said contact surface and inducing sound in the auditory center of the person, means for supporting said casing on the head of a person with the contact surface pressed against the bone structure of the head comprising a frame having a pair of arms pivotally engaging the opposite sides of said vibrator casing for adjustably holding the contact surface of said receiver in engagement with the bone structure of the person, supporting brackets on said arms, a clasp for each ear of the person for embracing an edge portion of the auricle of the ear adjacent its junction to the head, said clasp having a front arm overlapping and engaging the front side of the auricle edge, and an adjoining rear arm overlapping the ad-. jacent rear side of the embraced auricle edge to prevent pulling off the clasp from the ear by rearwardly directed stretching forces acting on the clasp, and a strip-like connector of resilient stretchable substance connected between the rear arms of the two clasps to lie stretched against the back portion of the head and press against it, said supporting brackets being held by said connector to apply stretching forces to said frame for pressing the vibration transmitting surface of said receiver against the bone structure.

HUGO LIEBER. 

